Kramnik backs off from reunification?

10/21/2004 – According to the Prague Unity Agreement the winners of Kramnik- Leko and Kasparov-Kasimdzhanov play for the unified world championship title. Now Vladimir Kramnik is expressing serious doubts whether this can happen. Instead he proposes a fourway tournament (Kasparov, Anand, Kasimdzhanov and Ponomariov) to find his opponent in the unification match.

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Kramnik confirmed that if FIDE would not agree to a dialogue with him and
the ACP, then the ACP will go its own way. He is ready to discuss conditions
under which the unification can take place. In principle, his attitude to the
idea of unification is positive. In Kramnik's opinion the development of chess
should be seen in relation to corporate sponsors and civilised European countries.
If FIDE does not like this, he will not work with them. Kramnik does not see
prospects in the direction which is taken [by FIDE] now.

On the match Kasimdzhanov-Kasparov: "Kasimdzhanov, of course, deserves
the match with the great player Kasparov. But I do not understand for what
reason they will play for a world championship". At this point Vasilyev
interjected that Kramnik had put his signature under the
contract that provided for this match. Kramnik answered: "Sorry. I
put my signature under the Ponomariov-Kasparov match. And here were other conditions,
which were not fulfilled." As an alternative Kramnik proposes to organise,
in place of the Kasimdzhanov-Kasparov match, a tournament with the participation
of Kasparov, Kasimdzhanov, Anand and Ponomariov. The winner would play the
unification match against him.

See also

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See also

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Video

Former World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik liked to play the French and once described it as a 'difficult and dangerous opening'. But in this 60 minutes video IM Andrew Martin suggests an aggressive and little-used idea of the renowned attacking player GM Viktor Kupreichik to counter the French: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Be3!?. Andrew Martin uses the games of Kupreichik to show why this line could catch many French aficionados unprepared and is very dangerous for Black. Attacking players will love this line and the unusual complications that it promotes.